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Atlético Madrid lose Diego Costa but his namesake denies Barcelona victory Atlético Madrid lose Diego Costa but his namesake denies Barcelona victory
(35 minutes later)
Still nothing can separate these teams but in eight days' time something must. Atlético Madrid and Barcelona met for the fourth time this season and for the fourth time they drew, after Neymar cancelled out Diego's astonishing opener. Atlético again illustrated the qualities that have given them the best defensive record in the Champions League this season and they will go into the second leg with the advantage of that away goal. Still nothing can separate these teams but in eight days' time something must. Atlético Madrid and Barcelona met for the fourth time this season and for the fourth time they drew. Neymar equalised Diego's astonishing opener, which had ripped through the air and into the net. It finished level and both managers declared themselves satisfied, but that away goal may prove to be a precious advantage for a team with the Champions League's best defensive record.
It had appeared to be a disaster when Diego had first entered the fray. Not because it was he who came on but because of who had gone off – Diego Costa – hobbling slowly and sadly in the other direction, seeming to take much of Atlético's hopes with him. It had appeared to be a disaster when Diego came on. Not because it was he who entered the pitch but because of who it was leaving it, hobbling slowly, sadly, in the other direction, seeming to take much of Atlético's hopes with him. Diego Costa lasted just 29 minutes, pulling up with a hamstring injury. He was the second to depart: Gerard Piqué fell heavily 12 minutes in; a hairline fracture of the pelvis will keep him out for four weeks.
Costa had pulled out of Atlético's training session on the eve of the game with coach Diego Simeone saying it was "difficult" for him to make it, but the Hispanic-Brazilian striker was included in the starting lineup. In the event, he lasted 30 minutes, turning Sergio Busquets brilliantly only to pull up with a hamstring injury. He was the second player to depart injured; Gerard Piqué had suffered a heavy fall in leaping for a header a quarter of an hour in. Costa had seven goals in five Champions League games and Atlético were already without the suspended Raúl García. David Villa was still there, though, and the best first-half opportunities came his way; after four minutes he swung a shot wide and after 44 minutes José Pinto palmed away his bending effort.
Costa's departure was a severe blow. He has seven goals in five Champions League games. Atlético were already without the suspended Raúl Garcia. David Villa was still there, though, and the best opportunities of the first half came his way. Between those there was a familiar, if broken, pattern. Atlético's early push faded. The ball was largely Barcelona's but there remained a vulnerability about them and creating openings was difficult. In the three previous meetings there'd been just two goals. Barcelona had an average of 72% possession but a total of only seven efforts on target. In the opening 45 minutes here there were headers from Neymar and Lionel Messi, both comfortably saved. Then Messi escaped Miranda with wonderful footwork and delivered a sharp pass into Andrés Iniesta to hit hard and low. Diego Godín flew across to make a superb block.
The first arrived after just four minutes when he swung a shot wide after Arda Turan had taken advantage of José Pinto's poor clearance to find him; the second came just before the interval when Pinto stretched to push away Villa's curling shot towards the far post. Diego Simeone had said that Barcelona's game is built around the ball while Atletico's is built around the space and that was an accurate portrait. Barcelona's passing lacked the swift precision needed. Cesc Fábregas lacked influence and the longer it went the more surprising the absence of Pedro or Alexis Sánchez was. When Atlético attacked, space opened before them. The danger was clear. What no one imagined was that the goal would come like it did. Diego received the ball 10 yards outside the right-hand corner of the penalty area. He turned, stepped away from Xavi and thumped a swerving rocket into the top corner by Pinto's near post.
Between those chances there was a familiar, if broken, pattern to this game. Atlético's early start, pushing Barcelona back, had faded. The ball was largely Barcelona's but there remained a vulnerability about them at the back and creating openings was proving difficult. In the three games between these sides this season, there had been just two goals and although Barcelona had enjoyed a first-half average of 72% of the possession they had only had efforts shots on target. "I'm very proud of the team: they're a team of enormous heart," the Atlético manager, Diego Simeone, said. Barcelona's coach Gerardo Martino too said he was "proud" of his side. Playing like this, he insisted, there is hope in the second leg.
In the opening 45 minutes here there were two headers, from Neymar and Lionel Messi, both of them comfortably saved by Thibaut Courtois. Neymar shot over but Andrés Iniesta had the best opportunity. Lionel Messi escaped Miranda with a wonderful piece of footwork and delivered a sharp pass into Iniesta to hit hard and low. As Thibaut Courtois dived, so did Diego Godín, flying across to make a superb block. Iniesta went down but was waved up, Sergio Busquets brought a save from Thibaut Courtois and Dani Alves's thumped cross hit Messi's midriff. Alexis replaced Fábregas and there was more to the attacks. With 20 minutes left Iniesta played an impeccable pass with the outside of a foot through a passageway of defenders, Neymar opened up his body and side-footed into the corner.
Diego Simeone had said that Barcelona's game is built around the ball while Atlético's is built around the space and that was a fairly accurate reflection of how the match was progressing. Barcelona's passing lacked the swift precision needed to open up spaces, 11 yellow shirts invariably between them and the goal. Cesc Fábregas was unable to influence the game, Messi too, and the longer it went on the more surprising the absence of Pedro or Alexis was. When Atlético headed forward they found space opening before them. The danger was clear. Iniesta had carried the greatest threat and incision. Courtois dived to push Iniesta's shot wide and then tipped away Messi's curling free-kick. As the clock ticked, Barcelona pressed, and by the end they had taken 17 shots but the second goal resisted. A fourth meeting yielded no winner. Next week, they meet again.
What no one could have imagined was that it would come the way it did. Diego received the ball from a short free-kick five or six yards outside the top right-hand corner of the penalty area, after a foul from Iniesta. He turned and stepped away from Xavi then thumped a swerving rocket shot into the top corner of the net, inside Pinto's near post. It was a stunning shot and the Brazilian Diego sank slowly to his knees, looking to the skies.